System for extracting essential oils

ABSTRACT

A system and method of extracting essential oils from plant material through the use of a low pressure alcohol-based closed system that includes a solvent chamber connected to a material column that in turn is connected to a recovery chamber. Plant material in the material column and the solvent in the solvent chamber are cooled using a cooling liquid, such as nitrogen. A vacuum pump connected to the recovery chamber creates a vacuum in the recovery chamber to draw the cooled solvent through the cooled plant material and extract essential oils, which are collected in the recovery chamber.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure pertains to a system for extracting essentialoils from plant material and, more particularly, to a closed extractionsystem that utilizes a vacuum to pull a solvent through the plantmaterial.

Description of the Related Art

Many plants include oils and other minerals that have various uses andbenefits apart from the fibrous plant material itself. Essential oils,once removed from the plant material, can be used in foods, medicines,and other products. Typical methods of extracting essential oils usehighly pressurized systems to force a solvent through the plantmaterial. These systems can be expensive and are very dangerous due tothe high pressures.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In accordance with the present disclosure a system and method ofextracting essential oils from plant material through the use of avacuum closed system is provided.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the systemincludes a solvent source, a material container structured to containplant material, the material container in fluid communication with thesolvent source, a recovery chamber in fluid communication with thematerial container, and a vacuum pump in fluid communication with therecovery chamber and structured to remove air from within the recoverychamber and pull solvent from the solvent source through plant materialin the material container to extract oil from the plant material andmove the extracted oil into the recovery chamber.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a systemfor extracting essential oils from plant materials is provided. Thesystem generally includes a solvent chamber, a material container orchamber in the form of a column, a filter, a recovery chamber, and avacuum pump. The solvent chamber is structured to contain a solvent,such as alcohol or alcohol-based solvent. A fluid output of the solventchamber is connected to a fluid input of the material column. Thematerial column is structured to contain the plant material. An outputof the material column is connected to an input of the filter, and anoutput of the filter is connected to an input of the recovery chamber.The vacuum pump is connected to the recovery chamber to create a vacuumin the recovery chamber. Ideally, the recovery chamber is structured tocapture the extracted material.

The material in the material column and the solvent in the solventchamber are cooled; either pre-cooled or by using a cooling liquid, suchas liquid nitrogen. A valve at the output of the material column is usedto control the movement of fluid through the system, such that whenopened, the vacuum in the recovery chamber pulls fluids (cooling fluidor solvent from the solvent chamber) through the material in thematerial column and into the recovery chamber.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the solventsource is a solvent chamber having a fluid output, the material columnhas a fluid input and a fluid output, the fluid input of the materialcolumn in fluid communication with the fluid output of the solventchamber, the filter has a fluid input and a fluid output, the fluidinput of the filter in fluid communication with the fluid output of thematerial column, and the recovery chamber has a fluid input in fluidcommunication with the fluid output of the filter.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, a methodof extracting essential oils from plant material is provided. The methodgenerally includes the steps of introducing plant material into amaterial container, introducing a cooling liquid into the materialcontainer, providing a solvent for introduction into the materialcontainer, creating a vacuum in a recovery chamber that is in fluidcommunication with the material container, and pulling the solventthrough the plant material to extract oil from the plant material andpulling the solvent and extracted oil into the recovery chamber with thevacuum from the recovery chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the presentdisclosure will be more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an implementation of an oil extractionsystem in accordance with one implementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a material column stand inaccordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a solvent chamber in accordance withthe present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a material column in accordance withthe present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a filter in accordance with thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a recovery chamber and vacuum pumpin accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a plunger for use with the system formedin accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a rod used in the plunger of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, certain specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosedimplementations. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognizethat implementations may be practiced without one or more of thesespecific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. Inother instances, well-known structures or components or both associatedwith filters, vacuum pumps, as well as the process of purging solventsfrom extracted plant oils have not been shown or described in order toavoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the implementations.

Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification andclaims that follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as“comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open inclusivesense, that is, as “including, but not limited to.” The foregoingapplies equally to the words “including” and “having.”

Reference throughout this description to “one implementation” or “animplementation” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the implementation isincluded in at least one implementation. Thus, the appearance of thephrases “in one implementation” or “in an implementation” in variousplaces throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring tothe same implementation. Furthermore, the particular features,structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more implementations.

With reference to FIGS. 1-9, shown therein is a system 100 to extractoils, such as essential oils, from plant material and plant-basedmaterials. As described more fully below, the system 100 generallyincludes a solvent source, a material container structured to containplant material, the material column in fluid communication with thesolvent source, a recovery chamber in fluid communication with thematerial container, and a vacuum source in fluid communication with therecovery chamber and structured to remove air from within the recoverychamber and pull solvent from the solvent source through plant materialin the material column to extract oil from the plant material and movethe extracted oil into the recovery chamber.

More particularly, with reference to FIG. 1, shown therein is arepresentative implementation of the system 100 that includes a solventsource in the form of a solvent chamber 102, a material container in theform of a material column 106 coupled to the solvent chamber 102 with asupply line 104, one or more filters 112 coupled to the column 106 witha first recovery line 110, and at least one recovery chamber 116 coupledto the filter 112 with a second recovery line 114. The system alsoutilizes a vacuum source in the form of a vacuum pump 120 coupled to therecovery chamber 116 via a vacuum line 118. The solvent chamber 102preferably has a fluid output, the material container 106 has a fluidinput and a fluid output, and the fluid input of the material column 106is in fluid communication with the fluid output of the solvent chamber102. The filter 112 has a fluid input and a fluid output, the fluidinput of the filter 112 is in fluid communication with the fluid outputof the material column 106, and the recovery chamber 116 has a fluidinput in fluid communication with the fluid output of the filter 112.

In more detail, the solvent chamber 102 is connected to and in fluidcommunication with the material column 106 through the supply line 104.A first end 103 of the supply line 104 is connected to a fluid output105 of the solvent chamber 102, and a second end 107 of the supply line104 is connected to a fluid input 109 of the material column 106. Insome implementations, the first end of the supply line 104 connects to afluid port formed in a top 101 of the solvent chamber 102.

The material column 106 is connected to and in fluid communication withthe filter 112 through a valve 108 via the first recovery line 110. Asecond end or output 111 of the material column 106, which is oppositeof the first end 103 of the material column 106, is connected to thevalve 108. A first end 113 of the first recovery line 110 is connectedto a side of the valve 108 opposite of the side that is connected to thesecond end 111 of the material column 106 such that when the valve 108is opened, a fluid (i.e., solvent and extracted material) can flow fromthe material column 106 to the first recovery line 110. A second end 115of the first recovery line 110 is connected to a fluid input 117 of thefilter 112.

The filter 112 is connected to and in fluid communication with therecovery chamber through the second recovery line 114. A first end 119of the second recovery line 114 is connected to a fluid output of thefilter 112, and a second end 121 of the second recovery line 114 isconnected to a fluid input 123 of the recovery chamber 116.

The recovery chamber 116 is also connected to and in fluid communicationwith the vacuum pump 120 via the vacuum line 118. Although not shown,the vacuum pump 120 can include a vapor filter. A first end 125 of thevacuum line 118 connects to a fluid input port 127 of the vacuum pump120 and a second end 129 of the vacuum line 118 connects to a fluidoutput port 131 of the recovery chamber 116. In some implementations,the input and output ports 123, 131 of the recovery chamber 116 areconfigured and structured to be in a top 133 of the recovery chamber116.

A ball float or ball check valve (not shown) can be used in controllingthe level of fluid in the recovery chamber 116 and prevent it fromentering the vacuum pump. As the fluid rises in the chamber, the ballrises inside the housing and blocks the vacuum, thereby preventing anyfurther fluid from being drawn into the recovery chamber 116. A housingfor the ball float has holes in a top thereof to allow the vacuum topull through the system while holes in a bottom of the housing allowfluid in the recovery chamber 116 to raise the ball and ultimately plugthe vacuum port when the recovery chamber 116 is full.

To understand the basic operation of the system 100 before going intogreater detail on the components, the steps for using this system 100and the resulting process will now be described. Generally, theabove-described system 100 is designed to implement a method ofextracting essential oils from plant material. The method generallyincludes the steps of introducing plant material into the materialcolumn 106, introducing a cooling liquid into the material column 106,providing a solvent for introduction into the material column 106,creating a vacuum in the recovery chamber 116 that is in fluidcommunication with the material column 106, and pulling the solventthrough the plant material to extract oil from the plant material andpulling the solvent and extracted oil into the recovery chamber 116 withthe vacuum from the recovery chamber 116. Preferably, the plant materialin the material container is cooled, either by pre-cooling in a deepfreezer or other similar cooling system, or cooled within the systemsuch as with liquid nitrogen, prior to pulling the solvent through theplant material. Additionally or in the alternative, the solvent can becooled prior to being pulled through the plant material. This cooling ofthe solvent can be done by deep freezing the solvent or using a coolingliquid, such as liquid nitrogen that is introduced into the solventcontainer. A jacketed material container, such as a column, can be usedwith a cooling agent in the jacket to cool material in the container.Ethanol alcohol is recommended as a solvent because it is consideredsafe for human consumption; however, any solvent that remains liquidunder normal atmospheric pressure and temperature may be appropriate.Isopropyl, hexane and naphtha are also commonly used solvents.

As an initial step, the material column 106 is positioned to acceptplant material into an interior 135. In some implementations, thematerial column 106 may be placed into a stand 180, such as illustratedin FIG. 2. In various implementations, the material column 106 isstructured such that a first end 103 of the material column 106 (inwhich an input port is connected to the supply line 104) is configuredas a top of the material column 106, and the second end 111 of thematerial column 106 (in which an output port is connected to the valve108) is configured as a bottom of the material column 106. The materialcolumn 106 may be initially placed in the stand 180 without a cap at thetop 101 of the material column 106 to allow for material and coolingliquid to be added to the material column 106.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a material column stand 180 formedin accordance with the present disclosure. In this illustration, thematerial column 106 is connected to an upright post 181 on the stand 180by a bracket 182. This mounting configuration maintains an orientationof the material column 106, such that the top 101 of the material column106 (and the supply line) are positioned above the bottom 111 of thematerial column 106 (and the valve 108 and first recovery line 110). Thebracket 182 may be movably mounted in the stand 180 to enable selectiveraising and lowering of the material column 106 by a user.

A filter pad 200 is placed between the valve 108 and the second end ofthe material column 106. In some implementations, the filter pad 200 maybe positioned inside and at the bottom of the material column 106. Inother implementations, the filter pad 200 may be positioned outside ofthe material column 106 but between the second end 111 of the materialcolumn 106 and the valve 108. In some implementations, a valve assemblymay include the filter pad 200 and the valve 108. In at least oneimplementation, the filter pad 200 is a stainless steel filter pad. Thefilter pad 200 is readily commercially available and is well known tothose skilled in the art and will, therefore, not be described in detailherein. It should be recognized that other filters may be used thatrestrict material from exiting the material column 106 and entering thefirst recovery line 110 while allowing fluid (e.g., solvent andessential oils removed from the material) to flow from the materialcolumn 106 to the first recovery line 110. Once the filter pad 200 is inposition, the valve 108 is connected to the second end 111 of thematerial column 106.

A filling cone 139, such as shown in FIG. 4, is connected to the top ofthe material column 106. Material is then added to the material column106. It should be recognized that in some implementations, material maybe added to the material column 106 without a filling cone 139. Apacking rod may be used to push the material from the top of theinterior 135 of the material column 106 to the bottom of the interior135 of the material column 106 near the valve 108. The material shouldbe loosely packed in the material column 106.

The first recovery line 110 is connected between the valve 108 and thefilter 112. And the second recovery line 114 is connected between thefilter 112 and the recovery chamber 116. The vacuum line 118 isconnected between the vacuum pump 120 and the recovery chamber 116.

With the valve 108 closed, the vacuum pump 120 is turned on to create avacuum in the recovery chamber 116. As used herein, the term vacuumrefers to a negative air pressure measured in Hg in the correspondingspace with substantially all air removed. It should be recognized that aperfect vacuum in the recovery chamber 116 may not be possible nor is itrequired to practice implementations described herein.

Cooling liquid is poured into the material column 106 through thefilling cone 139 at the top of the material column 106. The amount ofcooling liquid may vary depending on the size of the material column 106and desired temperature. In one implementation, the initial amount ofcooling liquid poured into the material column 106 is one liter. Some ofthe cooling liquid may seep into the material in the material column 106and some may rest on top of the material. The valve 108 can then beopened so that vacuum in the recovery chamber 116 pulls the coolingliquid into the material. The valve 108 may be closed once the coolingliquid is no longer resting on the top of the material, i.e., thecooling liquid has been completely pulled into the material column.Additional cooling liquid can be added to the material through thefiling cone 139 at the top of the material column 106, and the valve 108opened to pull the additional cooling liquid into the material.

These steps can be repeated until the material is sufficiently cool. Inone implementation, these steps are repeated a total of three times suchthat three liters of the cooling liquid, one liter per iteration, areadded to the material column 106. In some implementations, after thecooling liquid has been added to the material, the valve 108 can beopened until the first recovery line 110 at the bottom 111 of thematerial column 106 begins to frost. This frosting typically indicatesthat the material in the material column 106 is of sufficiently coldtemperature.

It should be noted that other mechanisms, such as thermometers, may alsobe used to check the temperature of the material. The temperature rangecan be from and including −10 degrees Fahrenheit to −20 degreesFahrenheit. The valve 108 is then closed once the material in thematerial column 106 is of sufficiently cold temperature. In someimplementations, the vacuum pump 120 may continuously run during thisprocess to ensure that the vacuum within the recovery chamber 116 ismaintained to pull the cooling liquid into the material. In someimplementations, a cooling liquid line (not shown) may be connected tothe material column 106 to supply the cooling liquid to cool thematerial.

If the filling cone 139 was used to fill the material column 106 withmaterial, the filling cone is removed from the material column 106. Thesecond end 107 of the supply line 104 is connected to the input port atthe first end 103 of the material column.

The solvent chamber 102 is filled with a proper amount of solvent. Thelevel of solvent depends on the quantity of material in the materialcolumn 106. In at least one implementation, the solvent is alcohol. Insome implementations, the solvent chamber 102 may be about 19 liters.Cooling liquid, such as liquid nitrogen, is added to the solvent in thesolvent chamber 102 until the solvent reaches a desired temperature,such as approximately minus 57 degrees Celsius. This mixture may beoccasionally stirred as the cooling liquid is added to the solvent. Insome implementations, pre-cooling the solvent may help speed up thiscooling process. For example, alcohol may be kept in a freezer prior toadding it to the solvent chamber 102. Once the solvent has been placedin the solvent chamber 102, the first end 103 of the supply line 104 isconnected to the output port 105 of the solvent chamber 102.

It should be recognized that sealed connections at each connection pointof the solvent chamber 102, the supply line 104, the material column106, the valve 108, the first recovery line 110, the filter 112, thesecond recovery line 114, the recovery chamber 116, the vacuum line 118,and the vacuum pump 120 may help the efficiency of the system inextracting essential oils from the material in the material column 106and collecting them in the recovery chamber 116. Likewise, the filter112 may improve the quality of the extracted material deposited in therecovery chamber. However, in some implementations, the filter 112 maynot be used between the material column and the recovery chamber, butrather post-process filtering of the extracted material may be used toremove any unwanted leftover material in the extracted material.

In some situations, additional cooling liquid may be added to thesolvent chamber 102 to keep the solvent at the desired temperature. Inat least one implementation, a coolant chamber, coolant supply line, andvalve (not illustrated) may be connected to and in fluid communicationwith the solvent chamber 102 so that coolant can be added to the solventchamber 102 without disconnecting the supply line 104 from the solventchamber 102. Even in this implementation, the valve 108 should be closedprior to adding additional cooling liquid to the solvent chamber 102.

Once the solvent chamber 102 is empty and the extracted oils are drainedfrom the filter 112 into the recovery chamber 116, the valve 108 can beclosed and the vacuum pump 120 turned off. At this point, the supplyline 104, the first recovery line 110, and the second recovery line 114can be removed.

The resulting material in the recovery chamber is ready for purging.

Used material in the material column 106 can be removed from thechamber. In one implementation, the valve 108 and valve assembly can beremoved from the material column 106, and a push rod (described in moredetail herein below) can be inserted through the top of the materialcolumn 106 to push the material out the bottom of the material column106.

In some implementations, the material column 106 and all connectionsbetween the solvent chamber 102, the supply line 104, the materialcolumn 106, the valve 108, the first recovery line 110, the filter 112,the second recovery line 114, and the recovery chamber 116 may becleaned, such as with cleaning brushes. Such cleaning may also includecleaning all gaskets at each connection.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the solvent chamber 102 formed inaccordance with the present disclosure. The solvent chamber 102 includesa solvent receptacle 202 having an interior 204 and a lid 206. In someimplementations, the lid 206 and the solvent receptacle 202 may beinsulated to help maintain the cooled temperature of the solvent.

The solvent receptacle 202 includes the interior reservoir 204structured to hold solvent, cooling liquid, or both. The lid 206 isconfigured such that a solvent line 208 passes through an aperture inthe lid 206 such that a seal is created between an exterior of thesolvent line 208 and the lid 206. In some implementations, alongitudinal axis of the solvent line 208 may be transverse to a planaraxis of the lid 206. The first end 103 of the supply line 104 connectsto a first end 210 of the solvent line 208 via couplers 212 and 214. Asecond end 216 of the solvent line 208 terminates in the reservoir 204to allow solvent 218 in the solvent receptacle or chamber 202 to enterthe solvent line 208 and flow to the supply line 104.

The lid 206 and the solvent receptacle 202 are configured to beremovably connected to one another. In this way, the lid 206 can beremoved from the solvent receptacle 202 so that solvent, cooling liquid,or both can be added to the solvent receptacle 202. Once solvent 218 isadded, the lid 206 can be connected to the solvent receptacle 202. Invarious implementations, the interior 204 of the solvent chamber 102 isat or near normal atmospheric pressure. In this way, the pressure in thesolvent chamber 102 is higher than the vacuum in the recovery chamber116, which allows for the movement of solvent from the higher pressuresolvent chamber 102 through the material in the material column 106 andto the recovery chamber 116.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the material column 106 formed inaccordance with the present disclosure. As described elsewhere, afilling cone 139 may be attached to the top of the material column 106to assist a user in adding material 144 into a material receptacle 140in the interior 135 of the material column 106. Once the material 144has been added to the material column 106, the filling cone 139 isremoved from the material column 106 and the material column 106 isconnected to the remainder of the system as described above. In someimplementations, the material receptacle 140 may be surrounded byinsulation 142 to help maintain the cooled temperature of the material.

A top cap 235 is connected to the material receptacle 140 by a clamp238. In some implementations, a gasket 240 may be positioned between thetop cap 235 and a top of the material receptacle 140 to help seal thematerial column 106. The top cap 235 of the material column 106 includesa coupler 234, which connects to coupler 236 at the second end 107 ofthe supply line 104.

A bottom cap 251 is connected to the material receptacle 140 by a clamp250. In various implementations, a gasket 248 may be positioned betweenthe bottom cap 251 and a bottom of the material receptacle 140 to helpseal the material column 106. In some implementations a filter pad 246is positioned within the material receptacle 140 at the bottom of thematerial receptacle 140. In other implementations, the filter pad 246 ispositioned outside the material receptacle 140 and between the bottom ofthe material receptacle 140 and the bottom cap 251. The bottom cap 251of the material column 106 connects to the valve 108. The valve 108connects to the first end of the first recovery line 110 via couplers252 and 254. In some implementations the bottom cap 251, the valve 108,and the coupler 252 may be part of a valve assembly, which, in someimplementations, may also include the filter pad 246.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the filter 112, formed in accordancewith the present disclosure. Filter 112 includes filter material 160 andcouplers 158 and 162. In some implementations, the filter material 160may be a charcoal filter. The second end 115 of the first recovery line110 connects to the filter 112 via two couplers 156 and 158. The firstend 119 of the second recovery line 114 connects to the filter 112 viathe two couplers 162 and 164. It should be recognized that other typesor configurations of the filter 112 may be used. In addition, the filter112 may take the form of multiple filter assemblies or filters coupledin series.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the recovery chamber 116 and vacuumpump 120, formed in accordance with the present disclosure. The recoverychamber 116 includes a recovery lid 171 that has a vacuum gauge 170 sothat a user can observe the current pressure in the recovery chamber116. It should be recognized that the vacuum gauge 170 may be anothertype of pressure sensor and may be positioned inside the recoverychamber 116 or connected to the recovery chamber 116 in otherconfigurations. The second end 121 of the second recovery line 114connects to the recovery chamber 116 via the couplers 166 and 168. Insome implementations, a first end 175 of a final recovery line 173 isattached to coupler 168 and a second end 177 of the final recovery line173 terminates in the recovery chamber 116.

The first end 125 of the vacuum line 118 connects to the vacuum pump 120via two couplers 176 and 178, and the second end 129 of the vacuum line118 connects to the recovery chamber 116 via two couplers 172 and 174.In this way, the vacuum pump 120 pulls air out of the recovery chamber116 via the vacuum line 118. Solvent 218 is then pulled from the solventchamber 102 through the material and into the recovery chamber 116 viathe second recovery line 114 and the final recovery line 173. Therecovered material then settles on a bottom of the recovery chamber 116.

Although the couplers illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 are male/femaleconnections and arranged in specific configurations, implementations arenot so limited and other arrangements or types of couplers may be usedso long as they are configured to properly mate together and provide asealed connection.

FIGS. 7-8 illustrate a plunger 300 and corresponding rod 302 for use inusing the system 100 described above. The plunger 300 is used as an aidin filling the material column 106 as well as in cleaning the column106. When the column 106 is initially filled, it is at times useful tocompress the material 144 before processing begins. When the process iscomplete, the plunger 300 is used to press spent material from thecolumn 106.

In the representative implementation shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the plunger300 includes a rod 302, preferably an ACME threaded rod, having anunthreaded top 304 with a hexagonal cross-sectional configuration thatextends from a first end 308 of a first smooth shaft section 306. Athreaded central section 312 has a first end 314 that extends from anopposing second end 310 of the first smooth shaft section 306 and asecond end 316. Extending from the second end 316 is a second smoothshaft section 318 that has its first end 320 extending from the secondend 316 of the threaded central section 312 and a second end 322 thatintersects with a first end 326 of a terminal threaded section 324 thathas a terminal second end 328.

Ideally an outside diameter of the first and second smooth shaftsections 306, 318 is less than an outside diameter of the threadedcentral section 312 and the terminal threaded section 324. The threadedsections 312, 324 of the rod 302 are designed to thread faster thannormal threads and is used generally when longer distance travel isneeded with fewer turns required. In one implementation, an Acme threadat a 29 degree angle is suitable.

The hex-shaped section 304 at the top of the rod 302 has the hex shapemilled into the rod. It is intended for use with a drill to speed thetravel of the plunger 300 in the cleaning process. A hexagonal nut 330is threaded onto the rod 302 and welded in position below the hex. It issized and shaped for use with a wrench when it is desirable to justcompress the material 144 in the material column 106 and not eject it.

A spool cap 332 having an Acme hexagonal nut 334 welded thereto is sizedand shaped to be clamped to a spool of the material column in a fixedposition, and the plunger 300 travels or rotates through the cap 332 tocompress material or to clean material from the material receptacle 140or “spool.” A “spool” is a manufacturing term for the receptacle, inthis case the material column, and manufacturing companies manufacturethem in standard sizes. As shown in FIG. 7, the cap 332 is a standardspool cap that is welded to the nut 334. The cap 332 is clamped to thematerial column or spool with a tri-clamp to hold it in place forcleaning, “plunging,” or pressing.

The first and second smooth shaft sections 306, 318 of the rod 302 thathave the threads removed are sized and shaped to allow the plunger 300to spin freely at the top and bottom of the column 106 to prevent theplunger 300 from impacting the top or bottom of the interior of thematerial column 106. This prevents injury to the operator as well.

Located on the terminal threaded section 324 are first and secondhexagonal nuts 336, 338, respectively, with a thrust bearing 340adjacent the first nut 336 and a washer 342 between the thrust bearing340 and the second nut 338.

The thrust bearing 340 is in the position adjacent and below the lockedfirst nut 336 to allow the washer 342 to turn freely when under thepressure of forcing material to compress or when ejecting material fromthe spool (material receptacle 140). The Acme threaded nuts 336, 338with the holes drilled in them are used for locking the thrust bearing340 and the plunger washer 342 in their position without tightening orloosening. A roll pin 344 is driven through openings in both nuts tobear against the terminal threaded section 324 and hold the assembly inplace on the rod 302. The roll pin 344 is sized and shaped to be drivenout of the nuts 336, 338 if the need arises to disassemble the plunger300.

In use, the plunger is used as an aid in filling the material column aswell as cleaning the column.

When the column is initially filled, it is at times useful to compressthe product before processing begins. The plunger is then attached tothe top of the filled column 106 and turned down with a wrench appliedto the nut 330 welded to the rod 302 close to the top in order tocompress the material 144 in the column 106 for a higher density andmore solid pack for the processing. The plunger 300 is removed, and theprocess is continued.

When the processing is complete, the plunger 300 is re-attached to thetop of the material column 106 and a drill motor is attached to thehexagonal top 304 of the plunger shaft and used to press the spentmaterial from the column 106.

It will be readily appreciated from the foregoing that the plungerassembly 300 eliminates the need to compress the material in the column106 with a rod and hammer and prevents possible damage to the finishedsurface on the interior of the column 106. The plunger assembly 300 isalso used to force the spent material out of the bottom of the column106, eliminating possible damage to the column 106 and reducing thecleaning time by a substantial amount.

What follows next are a series of questions and responses regardingoptimal usage of the system 100 and the process.

-   -   Q What is the recommended temperature for maximum yield and        quality?    -   A. Yield results and third party potency tests show that the        ideal temperature is in the range of −10 to −20 degrees. Warmer        temperatures result in extraction of unwanted plant material        that will be filtered out but greatly reduces filter life.        Temperatures below −40 degrees F. have shown as much as 75% drop        in yield with zero effect on potency.    -   Q. How much nitrogen should I use to cool unfrozen material.    -   A. It is recommended to start with approximately 1 cup per lb.        of material for unfrozen material. Once nitrogen vapor is no        longer visible, check for desired temperature.    -   Q. How long does the extraction process take?    -   A. It depends on the quantity of material you will be running.        Once the system is set up, it takes approximately 2 to 3 minutes        per gallon of alcohol.    -   Q. How much alcohol is required?    -   A. Generally 1 gallon per ½ lb. of material is sufficient.        Different plant material may require more or less, and we        recommend using enough alcohol that it appears clear in the        first filter upon completion.    -   Q. How much alcohol will be lost during the process?    -   A. After the alcohol becomes clear as seen through the filter        container, it is recommended to remove the suction tube and        allow the machine to continue running until there is nothing        dripping into the first filter. This may take up to 60 minutes.        Generally the material will retain approximately ½ cup per pound        of material. Empty the material column and allow remaining        alcohol to drain into a container for further use.    -   Q. How much oil will a run typically yield?    -   A. The yield greatly depends on the type and quality of material        that will be running. On average one should expect between 3 and        4 grams per oz. of good dry material.    -   Q. Should the material be wet or dry?    -   A. Test results show dry material provides up to 50% more yield.        Drying the starting plant material as much as possible allows        the plant compounds to release more easily and also saves on        filter life. If it is desired to store dry material, it is        recommended to keep it sealed and frozen to retain freshness    -   Q. How tight should I pack the material column?    -   A. Gentle packing is recommended, which means press your        material down and gently pack but do not use extreme force. The        material must become fully saturated ensuring full extraction        but once saturated flow through the material guaranteeing        maximum yield. If material is packed too tightly, flow is        restricted, resulting in the possibility of material holding        some desired compounds. If material is too loosely packed,        material may not reach full saturation, leaving behind desired        compounds.    -   Q. What color should the oil be?    -   A. There are many different plant types that contain many        different compounds and quantities of each. Different compounds        pose different colors. There is no “normal” color or consistency        for an oil. Essential oils come in many different forms. Many        oil processors try to use selective processing to achieve golden        or clear color, stating that they are eliminating unwanted        elements. The operator must ask what part of these plants they        are eliminating as unwanted and what parts they are trying to        process.

The various implementations described above can be combined to providefurther implementations. For example, it is to be understood that thewasher 342 and the stainless steel tri-clamp cap 332 as well as theoverall length of the Acme rod 302 will vary to fit the intended column106 size.

These and other changes can be made to the implementations in light ofthe above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, theterms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specificimplementations disclosed in the specification and the claims, butshould be construed to include all possible implementations along withthe full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A non-pressurized vacuum-only oilextraction system for plant materials, comprising: a material containerstructured to contain plant material and solvent, the material containerhaving an output; a filter having an input connected directly only tothe output of the material container, the filter further having anoutput, the filter sized and shaped to prevent plant material fromentering a recovery chamber while permitting liquid containing solventand extracted oil to pass directly from a material chamber and throughthe filter; a recovery chamber having a first input directly connectedonly to the output of the filter and structured to receive directly fromthe filter the liquid containing solvent, the recovery chamber having asecond input; and a vacuum pump having a vacuum port directly connectedonly to the second input of the recovery chamber and structured toremove air from within the recovery chamber and create a continuousvacuum in the recovery chamber, the filter, and the material container,whereby solvent is continuously pulled through the plant material in thematerial container to extract oil from the plant material and to formliquid containing solvent and extracted oil, and to continuously pullthe liquid through the filter and into the recovery chamber.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1 further comprising a solvent source coupled to thematerial container, the solvent source comprising a solvent chamberhaving a fluid output, the material container having a fluid input, thefluid input of the material container connected to the fluid output ofthe solvent chamber.
 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising acoolant source coupled to the material container to provide coolant tothe material container.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the coolantsource is structured to contain liquid nitrogen to be applied to plantmaterial in the material container.
 5. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising a coolant source coupled to the solvent source to providecoolant to the solvent source.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein thecoolant source is also coupled to the material container to provideliquid nitrogen to the material container.
 7. The system of claim 1,further comprising a removable plunger tool structured to compress plantmaterial in the material container and to eject plant material from thematerial container by pushing the plunger through the materialcontainer.
 8. A system, comprising: a solvent source having an output; amaterial container having an input directly connected only to the outputof the solvent source, the material container structured to containplant material and to receive solvent from the solvent source, thematerial container further including an output; a filter having only oneinput and only one output, the input directly connected only to theoutput of the material container, the filter sized and shaped to preventplant material from passing through the filter while allowing liquidcontaining solvent and extracted oil to move through the filter from thematerial container to the filter output; a recovery chamber having afirst input directly connected only to the output of the filter, therecovery chamber structured to receive liquid containing solvent andextracted oil from plant material in the material container, therecovery chamber having a second input; and a vacuum pump having avacuum port connected only to the second input of the recovery chamberand structured to continuously remove air from within the recoverychamber to create a vacuum in the recovery chamber, the filter, and thematerial container, whereby the vacuum continuously pulls solvent fromthe solvent source through plant material in the material container tocontinuously extract oil from the plant material and form liquidcontaining solvent and extracted oil, and to continuously move theliquid through the filter and into the recovery chamber.
 9. The systemof claim 8, further comprising a coolant source in fluid communicationwith the solvent source to continuously provide coolant to the solventsource in response to the application of continuous vacuum to therecovery chamber by the vacuum pump.
 10. The system of claim 9 whereinthe solvent source comprises a solvent chamber having a fluid output,the input of the material container in fluid communication with thefluid output of the solvent chamber.
 11. The system of claim 9 whereinthe coolant source is structured to contain liquid nitrogen to beapplied to plant material in the material container.
 12. The system ofclaim 9 wherein the coolant source is also coupled to the materialcontainer to provide liquid nitrogen to the material container inresponse to the application of continuous vacuum to the recovery chamberfrom the vacuum pump.